With Giancarlo Stanton lighting the world on fire and fresh off a five-RBI night, the Yankees held the slugger out of the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against the Nationals.
That’s hardly surprising, as the Yankees have been cautious with Stanton, who recently returned to playing right field despite a long history of lower-body injuries and lingering tennis elbows. Still, Aaron Boone said he considered starting the 35-year-old on Wednesday after Stanton hit a bases-clearing double and a two-run homer in Tuesday’s 5-1 victory.
When asked why he didn’t, Boone noted that the Yankees were playing a day game after a night game and said, “I think part of the reason that it’s gone as well as it has is because there’s been some of those [off] days built in there.”
Boone added that he was happy to have the “luxury” of using Stanton “for a big at-bat at some point during the game,” as the veteran has turned into a pinch-hit weapon in his 16th big league season.
Stanton has been lethal when he starts as well, as he entered Wednesday hitting .313 with a 1.051 OPS, a 187 wRC+, 17 home runs and 46 RBI over 51 games. All of his home runs have come over his last 39 games, and he also has a 1.239 OPS with runners in scoring position.
Aaron Judge, on the other hand, has scuffled since returning from the injured list in a DH-only capacity — that’s why Stanton is playing defense again — as he was hitting .200 with a .758 OPS, three homers and eight RBI over his last 19 games prior to Wednesday.
Judge’s last seven games were even tougher, as he hit .120 with two extra-base hits — a pair of doubles — over that stretch.
Boone said it’s “possible” Judge will get an upcoming day off, which would allow Stanton to DH. However, he attributed the captain’s scuffles to his timing, not the right flexor strain that has limited Judge to DH duties as he moves forward with a throwing program.
“That’s probably been a tick off,” Boone said. “But that’s constantly something as hitters that you’re kind of working through. We know with Aaron that that’s a matter of time.”
Boone also said he still doesn’t have a target date for Judge’s in-game return to the outfield.
